1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems, processes, and computer program products for freight transportation and, in particular, for monitoring transport containers.
2. Description of Related Art
Security in the freight transportation industry is of great concern. Freight transportation companies and their customers are constantly concerned with products being surreptitiously removed from freight and shipping containers, railcars, trailers, or other enclosures used to store and transport products (collectively referred to herein as “transport containers”). Freight transportation companies and governmental agencies are also concerned with contraband or harmful substances or devices, such as illegal drugs, weapons of mass destruction or even illegal immigrants, being surreptitiously placed within transport containers. As a result, freight transportation companies and governmental agencies routinely use security devices, such as locks, plastic and metal loop seals and cable seals, bolt seals, security tape, security tags and memory buttons that allow tracking of transport containers, and temperature monitors, all in an effort to prevent unauthorized access to transport containers. As used herein, “access to” is intended to include physical access or entry into the interior of a transport container and/or tampering with or other manipulations of the exterior of a transport container for the purpose of gaining physical access or entry into the interior of the transport container.
However, conventional security devices are by no means fool proof. Moreover, while conventional security devices may allow a freight transportation company or governmental agency to identify unauthorized access to a transport container, such devices typically do not provide any other pertinent information, such as information relating the contents of the transport container, the individual(s) that sealed and unsealed the container for the transportation company, when and where the transport container was accessed, to what extent and for how long the perpetrator(s) obtained access to the transport container, etc. This is particularly the case when the transport container has been shipped or transported by more than one freight transportation company, to multiple destinations, and/or to multiple countries. Consequently, even when unauthorized access to a transport container can be identified, which is not always the case, it can be difficult to ascertain any other information regarding the access incident that may assist the freight transportation company and/or a governmental agency in evaluating what, if any, actions can be or need to be taken regarding the access incident, such as enforcement actions to identify the perpetrator(s), precautions for biological or hazardous material contamination or weapons of mass destruction, or remedial actions to prevent future access incidents.
Accordingly, there remains a need for improved security devices and methods for monitoring transport containers. Such devices and methods should be capable of not only detecting access to the transport container, but also when and where the access incident occurred, how long the perpetrator(s) obtained access to the transport container, as well as other pertinent information regarding the contents of the transport container and access incident. The improved security devices and methods should be capable of notifying or alerting interested parties, such as the freight transportation company and/or government agencies, when a transport container has been accessed, as well as providing pertinent information relating to the access incident to the interested parties. In addition, the improved security devices and methods also should be capable of preventing unauthorized tampering with the security device.